Fitchburg State vs. Penn State Berks

Should I go to Fitchburg State University or Penn State Berks? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fitchburg State or Penn State Berks is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Fitchburg State University vs. Penn State Berks comparison
Fitchburg State University Penn State Berks College 3 College 4
Fitchburg State University Penn State Berks
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Overview

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Location Fitchburg, MA Reading, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,554 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #549 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fitchburgstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $970 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $25,854
Room & Board $13,516 $14,334
Avg Net Price $15,535 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $7,093 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 66%

Admission

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,084 5,605
Admitted 2,654 5,453
Acceptance Rate 86.1% 97.3%
Enrolled % 18.3% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 23/28
SAT Range 1020/1220 1090/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 47% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,685 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $234 $277

Diversity

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
% Men 38% 59%
% Women 62% 41%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 68%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
% In-State 90% 64%
% Out-of-State 10% 30%

Campus

Fitchburg State Penn State Berks
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Fitchburg State University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (6,554 students vs. 2,077 students)

Fitchburg State vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fitchburg State or Penn State Berks?

  • Penn State Berks is 1,486.4% more expensive to attend than Fitchburg State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 266.7% higher at Penn State Berks than Fitchburg State University ($25,854.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fitchburg State University than Penn State Berks ($15,535 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fitchburg State University are 6.1% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($13,516 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fitchburg State University than Penn State Berks (76% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Berks students is 20.2% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($8,528 vs. $7,093)

Fitchburg State vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fitchburg State or Penn State Berks? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Berks or Fitchburg State .

  • The average SAT score at Fitchburg State University (993) is 15 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Penn State Berks students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fitchburg State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Berks students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Fitchburg State (3.29)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Fitchburg State (86.1%)

Fitchburg State vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fitchburg State or Penn State Berks? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State Berks and Fitchburg State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than Fitchburg State University (55% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $11,300 more per year than Fitchburg State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,000)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $4,133 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($22,685 vs. $26,818)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($234 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fitchburg State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/